News Article

Bill Would Increase Home Invasion Penalties

By Phil Gregory, WBGO News
Trenton. June 28, 2013

One of the leaders in the New Jersey Legislature wants to increase the penalties for home invasions.

Assembly Republican Leader Jon Bramnick says current law allows home intruders to be prosecuted as a third degree offense that could mean they won’t have to go to prison.

He’s introduced a home invasion bill that would make it a second degree crime with a mandatory five-to-ten years behind bars with no eligibility for early release.

Bramnick says the tougher penalty sends a simple message.

“Don¹t go into anyone’s house unless you’re invited. You go into someone’s house, you scare somebody, you’re going to prison. Period. End of story.”

Bramnick says the measure comes in response to a home invasion in Millburn where a surveillance camera recorded a woman being beaten by an intruder in front of her 3-year-old daughter.

“You knock someone’s door down, I mean that’s disgusting. You come in an assault somebody in front of a child, that’s disgusting. When we saw this crime we know that we need to upgrade the penalty, and that’s what we’re doing.”

Bramnick is planning to introduce another bill that would increase the penalties for assaulting someone in front of a child.

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